Approaches to the synthesis of crotepoxide, a naturally occurring antitumor agent which consists of a highly oxygenated cyclohexane, are underway. The intermediacy of a quinol or a butadiene-quinone Diels-Alder adduct is anticipated. Methods of stereospecific introduction of oxygen will be studied in detail with the intention of extending these methods to the synthesis of highly-oxygenated antibiotics and their analogs.